Refrigerator and freezer door construction



H. J. TENNISWOOD 3,041,679 REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER DO OR CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 29, 1958 July 3, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HOWARD J. TENNISWOOD 7' I YG EYS ATTOR y 1962 H. J. TENNISWOOD 3,041,679

REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER DOOR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 29, 1958 INVENTOR.

HOWARD J. TENNISWOOD ATTORNEYS 3,041,679 REFRIGERATOR ANI) FREEZER DOOR CONSTRUCTION Howard J. Tenniswood, Adrian, Mich, assignor to Revco, Inc., Deerfield, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 764,061 8 Claims. (Cl. 20-35) The cabinets of household food freezers formerly were boxes with top opening doors. The boxes and doors both were heavily insulated. The freezers usually were installed in basements or other out of the way places. They usually were packed with meat and other perishable foods which their owners obtained in large quantities and stored in the freezers to be used over weeks or months of time. In the construction of the insulated boxes and top opening insulated doors much attention was given to insure maximum prevention of ingress of heat. Little attention was given to convenience in use and very little attention was given to attracive appear- In recent years, in the construction, merchandizing and utilization of freezers and refrigerators more emphasis was directed to convenience in use and attractive appearance. It became the practice to incorporate freezers with front opening doors in the same cabinets with portable, or free standing, refrigerators. This practice became general in urban areas where foods were acquired in smaller quantities and greater varieties. and were kept frozen by householders for shorter periods.

The present trend is strongly toward building refrigerators and freezers into the convenient and often beautiful cabinet work and paneling with which modern kitchens are l ned. Building a freezer and a refrigerator into a general scheme of kitchen wall cabinets and panels has many advantages. It enables the freezer and the refrigerator each to be placed in its most convenient location independently of the other. Each can be at such height that its contents are visible and accessible without stooping or stretching. The refrigerating and freezing mechanism can be left out of the interior of the cabinets, thus providing more space for food and leaving the food space susceptible of better arrangement. The refrigerating or freezing mechanism when installed above or at the side of a built-in refrigerating or freezing cabinet can be easily and economically serviced or replaced. The built-in refrigerator and freezer do not stand out into the room,

to be dodged around and cleaned around. If the doors are custom-built, or the other paneling is custom-built at the place of installation, the material of the doors and the material of the other cabinet work can be made to match or harmonize. Custom-built refrigerator doors and freezer doors are expensive, however. 7

It is an object of this invention to provide a basic refrigerator or freezer door core and interior functional liner in combination with invertible and interchangeable accessories which can be readily assembled with the core to make a large variety of right or left hand doors that differ in appearance and in aesthetic characteristics.

Another object is to makeit possible to produce standard factory-built refrigerators and freezers having the advantages of custom-built refrigerators and freezers, at much lower manufacturing cost.

-And still another object is to make it possible for distributors and dealers with a small investment in inventory to satisfy the various preferences of customers.

Other objects and numerous advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon perusal of the following description as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary sectional view through the any other part of the door structure.

3,4;l,fi79 Patented Juiy s, 1962 "ice swingableedge of one form of a door constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. II is a view of a temperature equalizing panel employed in the form of door shown in FIG. I, a trim edging being shown as partially removed from the temperature equalizing panel; and

FIG. III is an elevational view of the core of a refrigerator or freezer door, a fragment of which is shown in FIG. I, the door frame which normally surrounds the door core being shown as partially removed.

The insulating freezer or refrigerator door incorporafi ing the instant invention, in the form disclosed herein,

comprises a core 1 that is square as seen in front elevation, though the core may be of any' desired shape so long as the front face is symmetrical about vertical and horizontal axes. The core 1 comprises an inner shell member 2, which may be of metal or plastic, either flat or molded or pressed into any preferred shape, and an outer shell member 3 which also may be of metal or plastic material and may be molded or pressed into any preferred shape. In the form of device shown, the outer shell member 3 is flat with an offset margin 4.

A door frame 5, which has a channel-like cross section and as shown in FIG. III is square in elevation when assembled, surrounds the inner and outer shells 2 and 3 to form an enclosure that is filled with thermo-insulating material of any desired type. Expandable polystyrene insulating material has been found to be eflicient and otherwise suitable. The insulating material known in the trade as expandible polystyrene consists of hard elastic pellets. Similar rigid type insulating material of urethane also is available.

As shown in FIG. I, the inner flange of the door frame 5 is surrounded by a flexible gasket. The form of gasket shown in FIG. I is fully described in a copending application and is not a feature of the instant invention, since other forms of gaskets may be employed.

Secured by screws to one side of the door frame 5 are webs 7 forming part of a door pull 6 comprising a handle 8, the structure of the door pull being such that it can be secured to the frame 5 only, without interfering with The other side of the door frame 5 is provided with reinforcing strips 9 and If) that are threaded to receive screws 11 for attaching hinges 12 and 13 to the door frame, thus securing the hinges to the door frame only without interfering with any other part of the door structure.

The side of the door frame 5 which carries'the reinforcing strip 10 is severed over the strip, the strip being secured by welding or otherwise to the door frame on one side only of the dividing cut. When the two sides of the dividing out are brought together and the screws II are screwed into the plate on one side or both sides of the dividing cut to fasten the hinge 13 to the frame 5, the frame closely embraces the shell member 3 and cannot be removed therefrom without taking out the screws 11.

When, however, the screws 11 are backed out and the hinge 13 is removed, the door frame 5 canbe sprung open, as indicated in FIG. III, until the door frame can be swung out of parallelism with the core 1 and removed from the core. After removal from the core the doc frame 5 can be turned over and replaced upon the core 1 with the door pull on the right side instead'of the left side. The hinge 13 then can be replaced on the left side. The door thus can be converted from a right hand opening door to a left hand opening door.

It sometimes happens that cold spots develop on outer shell members of freezer and refrigerator doors, and when the relative humidity of the room air is high moisture from the air is liable to condense on the cold spots functioning properly.

' mental panel.

,-through the flange 21,

I equalizer sheet 15, a screw cause the householder to' think. that the freezer is not densation is so copious that water of condensation runs down the face of the door and drips from its lower edge. If the outer shell of such a freezer door is covered with an ornamental panel; heat may flow directly from'spots on the panel tothe cold spots in the outer shell of the door thus causing cold spots to'form on the ornamental panel. Even when an ornamental panel is spaced from the outer shell of afreezer door, heat may radiate from spots on the ornamental panel across the air space to the cold spots on the'outer shell until cold spots form on the orna- Elforts have been made to avoid the formation of cold spots on ornamental panels by interposing layers'o'f insulating material such as porous fiber board between the outershell of thedoor core and the ornamental panel, but even in such cases heat flows through the insulating material or board from the ornamental panel spotsto'appear on the ornamental panel.

In the device of my invention such spotting of ornamental panels is minimized or avoided'by interposing a temperature equalizer between the ornamental panel 14 and the shell 3. The temperature equalizer consists of a sheet of a'heat conductive metal '15 which lies in direct contact with the ornamental panel 14 but is' spaced from the shell-3. The thermo-conductive sheet 15 is reinforced at its edges by turned-over strips 16, and is held away from the shell 3 by spacing nubbins 17. The nubbins 17 can be punched from the metal of the temperature equal -izer sheet 15 as shown in the drawings, or theycan be composed of thermo-insulating material.

Employing a sheet of thermo-conductive metal to prevent heat'from flowing directly fromspots on the ornamental panel 14- to spots on the shell 3 may appear to be a rather paradoxical way of accomplishing the purpose. It accomplishes the purpose, however, not 'by blocking the flow of heat but by taking from a large area of the ornamental panel 14 heat which otherwise would be abstracted from a definite spot; The total heat loss from theentire ornamental panel maybe no less than it Under some conditions the conto the cold spots on the shell member, causing wet would have been in the absence of the temperature equal- H -izer sheet 15, but the equalizer sheet tends to get from the entire area of the ornamental panel the heat which it iradiartes to superchilled places'on theouter shell 3. It thus prevents the temperature of any spot of the ornamental panel 14 sweating. V

The ornamental panels 14 are capable of being selectively subassembled with the heat equalizer sheet by means of a trim edging 18 as shown in FIG. I. The trim edging '18 is'formed with an outer:O-shaped portion 19 and an inner bead 20' which resiliently grip the edge of the ornamental panel .14 and the edge of thetemperature equalizer sheet 15 When the lit-shaped portion 19 and the head 20 are sprung into gripping engagement with the edge of the forcing strip 16 of the sheet 15, they hold the panel 14 and the temperature equalizer sheet 15 firmly together.

The trim edging 18 has a flange 21 that extends inwardly beyond the head 20. Projecting backwardly are snap fasteners zziwhich, to secure the ornamental panel 14 and heat equalizer sheet 15 to the core 1, are forced into registering openings 23 in the door frame 5 and the outer. shell memberZS.

.,Each ofthe snap fasteners 22 has a head 251which lies 7 21- of the trim edging 18 and the, reinforcing strip 16 of between the flange 7 H V 7 the heat equalizer sheet 15. 'The snap fasteners 22'have bowed resilient prongs 26 which 7 are squeezed toward each other as the fasteners are forced through the registering openings 23 and which spring out from being reduced sufliciently to cause ornamental panel 14 and the rein- .ing material; said door frame having a door pull attached to one sidethereof and hinges attached to its wardly after the bowed portions of the prongs have passed inwardly through the. registering openings.

To remove the ornamental panel 14 and the heat driver may bejinse'rted between the door frame .with said equalizer sheet on said door core;

with saidequalizer sheet on said door core;

resilient edging trim having panel and said equalizer sheet to 5 and the trim edging 18. The ornamental panel and heat equalizer sheet subassembly thus may be pried away from the door core at several places by pulling out the snap fasteners 22. As shown in FIG. 11, the trim edging 18 is severed and can be opened to permit the substitution of a different ornamental panel. The subassembly then can be replaced upon the door core by again pushing the snap fasteners 22 into the registering openings 23.

It is apparent from the foregoing disclosure that the purpose and objects of the instant invention are achieved in the'preferred form disclosed. It is to be understood that the form described'herein and illustrated by the accompanying drawings is exemplary only in that the invention includes other forms and modifications which are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1; In a door for an insulated cabinet, in combination; a door core having an outer shell; an ornamental panel; a heat equalizer sheet of thermo-conductive material; means mounting said ornamental panel in juxtaposition with said equalizer sheet on said door core; and a plurality of nubbins holding said heat equalizer sheet spaced from said outer shell.

2. In a door for an insulated cabinet, in combination; a door core having an outer shell; an ornamental panel; a heat equalizer sheet of thermo-conductive material; meansmou'n-ting said ornamental panel in juxtaposition and a plurality of nubbins holding said heat equalizer sheet spaced from said outer shell; said mounting means comprising a resilient edging trim having a C-shaped portion and a bead which is sprung over the edges of said ornamental panel and said equalizer sheet to hold them in a subassembly.

3. Ina door for an insulated cabinet, in combination; a door core having an outer shell; an ornamental panel; a heat equalizer sheet of thermo-conductive material; means-mounting said ornamental panel in juxtaposition and a plurality of nubbins holding said-heat equalizer sheet spaced from said outer shell; said mounting means comprisinga a' C-shaped portion and a bead'which is sprung over the edges of said ornamental hold them in a subassembly; said edging trim having a flange carrying fasteners to releasably secure said flange to said door core.

4. ha door foran insulated'cabinet, in combination; a door core having an outer shell; an ornamental panel; a heat equalizer sheet of thermo-conductive material;

'means mounting said ornamental panel in juxtaposition with said equalizer sheet on said door core; anda plurality of nubbins holding said heat equalizer sheet spaced from said outer shell; said mounting means comprising an edging trim which is forced over the edges of said ornamental panel and said equalizer sheet to hold them in 1a subassembly and snap fasteners for holding said subassembly to said door core.

5. In a door for an insulated cabinet, in combination; a door core consisting of an inner shell member and "an outer shell member; a door frame, channel-shaped in cross section; said shell members and said door frame having a front eleva-tion which is symmetrical about vertical and horizontal axes; said door frame adapted to perimetrically surround said shell members; said door frame having 'a' dividing cut on its perimeter to enable assembly around said shell members; removable securing means for bringing together and securing said dividing cut; said inner and outer shell members and'said door frame when assembled forming an enclosure for insulatother side; said door frame upon removal of said securing means beingseparable from said shell members and when so separated and reassembled in an'inverted position with respect to said shell members changing a right hand openingdoor to a left hand opening door and vice versa.

6. In a door for an insulated cabinet, in combination; a door core consisting of an inner shell member and an outer shell member; a door frame adapted to perimetrically surround said shell members; said door frame having a dividing cut on its perimeter to enable assembly around said shell member; removable securing means for bringing together and securing said dividing cut; said inner and outer shell members and said door frame when assembled forming an enclosure for insulating material; said door frame having a door pull attached to one side thereof and hinges attached to its other side; said door frame upon removal of said securing means being separable from said shell members and when so separated and reassembled in an inverted position with respect to said shell members changing a right hand opening door to a left hand opening door and vice versa; an ornamental panel; a heat equalizer sheet of thermal-conductive metal; means mounting said ornamental panel in juxtaposition with said heat equalizing sheet on said door core; and a plurality of nubbins holding said heat equalizer sheet spaced from said outer shell member.

7. In a door for an insulated cabinet, in combination; a door core consisting of an inner shell member and an outer shell member; a door frame adapted to perimetrically surround said shell members; said door 'frame having a dividing cut on its perimeter to enable assembly around said shell member; removable securing means for bringing together and securing said dividing cut; said inner and outer shell members and said door frame when assembled forming an enclosure for insulating material; said door frame having a door pull attached to one side thereof and hinges attached to its other side; said door frame upon removal of said securing means being separable from said shell members and when so separated and reassembled in an inverted position with respect to said shell members changing a right hand opening door to a left hand opening door and vice versa; and ornamental panel; a heat equalizer sheet of thermal-conductive metal; means mounting said ornamental panel in juxtaposition with said heat equalizer sheet on said door core; and a plurality of nubbins holding said heat equalizer sheet spaced from said outer shell member; said mounting means comprising a resilient edging trim having a C-shaped portion and a bead which is sprung over the edges of said ornamental panel and said heat equalizer sheet to hold them in a subassembly.

8. In a door for an insulated cabinet, in combination; a door core consisting of an inner shell member and an outer shell member; a door frame adapted to perimetrioally surround said shell members; said door frame having a dividing cut on its perimeter to enable assembly around said shell members; removable securing means for bringing together and securing said dividing cut; said inner and outer shell members and said door frame when assembled forming an enclosure for insulating materials; said door frame having a door pull attached to one side thereof and hinges attached to its other side; said door frame upon removal of said securing means being separable from said shell members and when so separated and reassembled in an inverted position with respect to said shell members changing a right hand opening door to a left hand opening door and vice versa; and ornamental panel; a heat equalizer sheet of thermalconductive metal; means mounting said ornamental panel in juxtaposition with said heat equalizer sheet on said door core; and a plurality of nubbins holding said heat equalizer sheet spaced from said outer shell member; said mounting means comprising a resilient edging trim having a C-shaped portion and a bead which is sprung over the edges of said ornamental panel and said heat equalizer sheet to hold them in a subassembly; said edging trim having a flange carrying fasteners to releasably secure said flange to said door core.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,551,160 Rehrig et a1. May 1, 1951 2,552,641 Morrison May 15,v 1951 2,780,845 Chapman et a1. Feb. 12, 1957 2,839,793 Fields June 24, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 440,578 Great Britain Jan. 2, 1936 519,845 1955 

